Le Monde, France's most venerable newspaper, last night set a new deadline of June 28 for finding a buyer, a timetable that leaves only two potential candidates, including France Telecom, in the race to recapitalise the cash-strapped daily.

China is eyeing investments valued at several billion euros in Greek shipping, logistics and airport projects to be discussed during the second visit to Athens in four weeks by a high-ranking Beijing official.

Shares in BP tumbled more than 9 per cent on Monday as US Democratic senators called on the multinational oil company to inject $20bn immediately into a ring-fenced fund to clean up the Gulf of Mexico spill.

Andy Coulson, the Downing Street spin doctor, is giving up almost half his annual salary to join the government - but will still be earning more than Nick Clegg and just £2,500 less than the prime minister.

The European Central Bank left its main interest rate unchanged at 1 per cent on Thursday as it sought to restore investor confidence in the eurozone while rebuilding its credibility with financial markets - and a sceptical German public.

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Kevin Costner just had his seventh child -- Oh well, he can afford it. According to a recently released Department of Agriculture report, it now costs as much as $475,680 to raise a child to age 18.

Credit rating agencies again step into the spotlight on Wednesday as a Congressional commission grills Warren Buffett, the billionaire investor, and former and current executives from Moody's Investors Service about the sector's role in the financial crisis.

Baku may still sport all the signs of energy wealth, but, after an almost decade-long boom, the International Monetary Fund is cautioning that Azerbaijan's oil sector no longer has enough muscle to power economic growth alone.